Hundreds of share-bikes taken home by renters

[deecypher]

In my former city, you had to use a credit card to rent a bike. They would put a hold for the replacement amount on your card and if the bike isn't returned, you've bought it. That's the only way to urge people to return the bikes in a timely manner and to the correct location.

[baansgr]

6 hours ago, tonray said:

Not surprising at all.

Its only because they were told it was subsidised by Foreigners

[Thechook]

5 minutes ago, Capt Rob said:

Reports and photos of them being parked in trees etc both Melbourne and Adelaide

There was a fad and facebook page where photos were posted with them being dumped and placed in the most obscure places around Melbourne.  It was a craze to see who could be most imaginative. 

[Alf Tupper]

It certainly will not be Thai Nationals that are stealing them...

[maxcorrigan]

3 hours ago, gamini said:

Better than most counties. Where you have to put a deposit on a shopping trolley people because steal them

I don't think stealing is the reason, it's to make people bring them back to the trolley park to regain their coin ,therebye the store not requiring trolley collectors as you see here in Thailand!

[soistalker]

How the f%#k did all those BURMESE steal those bikes?!?

Becausr a Thai never would.

[PAIBKK]

Yesterday I was offered to buy one for 400.- THB. They had 10 bikes for sale.. 

[lemonjelly]

You’d think a Thai would know his fellow countrymen better than to start a business like that.

[gk10002000]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

The same issue was reported in Manchester.... its really is such a shame that a small few often ruin great ideas which could benefit the many... 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/16/manchesters-bike-share-scheme-isnt-working-because-people-dont-know-how-to-share

 

Agreed.  I like the idea.  Unfortunately usually such things don't work that well with a lot of people. In some places I have troubled, Canada BC Eggmont area for example, white plastic chairs are left out for the public to sit on along the main road while waiting for a ride or the bus.  In many places those would simply be taken by people. 

[AWillOz]

Saw these bikes in Melbourne recently. The first had been thrown off St Kilda pier into the bay. Several were wrecked. And most people who were riding them had no hlemets which is illegal, but just shows how the people behind the program didn't really think it through.  Why should it be any different in Bangkok?

[Get Real]

13 hours ago, webfact said:

is suffering from renters who think that the bikes are “giveaways from the government”

BS! They know very well it´s not theirs. They just steal what they can as usual. It´s all in a good days work.

[Serviceman78]

We have the same issue here in the United States in San Francisco. Several bikes have ended up more than 60 miles away. Generally you have to pay a fee and return it, but then some people jsut take it home, repaint it and then sell it.

[Serviceman78]

8 hours ago, deecypher said:

In my former city, you had to use a credit card to rent a bike. They would put a hold for the replacement amount on your card and if the bike isn't returned, you've bought it. That's the only way to urge people to return the bikes in a timely manner and to the correct location.

That is how it's supposed to work in san Francisco however, everyone overlooked the fact you can use a prepaid card on most of the machines making stealing them much easier.

[hotchilli]

14 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

Usually such schemes work best with an app. You have to sign up and place a deposit so at any time if the bike goes missing on your watch they know where to find you.

Unless your name's Yingluk !!

[KarenBravo]

........and this is why you can't have nice toys.

[Bangkok Barry]

15 hours ago, stevenl said:

I think a good chance of it being a commercial success. But the present trial where people can just take and return whenever they please will of course not work. People have to register beforehand and pay a deposit.

 

That requires the locals thinking beyond Stage 1 (providing the bikes). And Thais never do that.

[stevenl]

17 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

That requires the locals thinking beyond Stage 1 (providing the bikes). And Thais never do that.

Nonsense and denegrating. In this particular case it was announced the way the project would work was that after the initital trial there would be an app and required deposit.

[tomwct]

Many Thai's are Ignorant. 

[impulse]

11 hours ago, deecypher said:

In my former city, you had to use a credit card to rent a bike. They would put a hold for the replacement amount on your card and if the bike isn't returned, you've bought it. That's the only way to urge people to return the bikes in a timely manner and to the correct location.

 

In this business model, there is no return.  You rent the bike in one place, ride it as long as you wish, then leave it wherever you end up.  When you park it, the rental clock stops and the lock engages.  The theory being that someone else will start their rental from wherever you leave it.  It's an appealing model, but I see a lot of trucks here in China hauling bikes from one location to another.  Still the top companies claim to be making money...

 

Edited October 11, 2017 by impulse

[Airbagwill]

there isa plethora of comments where cynicism is used either to hide ignorance or just through lack of any real argument yet an overwhelming desire to post something anti-Thai.

 

Is suspect the real issue here is that which is so common in many schemes in Thailand  - a dire lack of research and planning. What seems to have happened is some nabob was convinced it was a "good idea" and then the scheme was implemented with no real forethought at all.

They have two options - learn from their mistakes or lose thew bikes.

 

I think it is extremely likely that people don't understand the scheme as it simply hasn't been advertised in a way that points out what the potential uses are. It isn't just the potential users you need to target, you need to target those who WON"T use the service to point out that it isn't a free bike giveaway or anything else they may misconstrue.

 

[dotpoom]

18 hours ago, jerojero said:

Selfishness? Too kind. Try scumbag thieves.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app
 

Why not just say.... thieves?

[wump]

15 hours ago, gamini said:

Better than most counties. Where you have to put a deposit on a shopping trolley people because steal them

Well, at least in these countries you don't have to pay 6 dollars for a bloody pre-packed supermarket salad because they have to hire a "trolley collector" for 23 bucks a hour because people are too lazy to return them.

[wump]

28 minutes ago, Airbagwill said:

Is suspect the real issue here is that which is so common in many schemes in Thailand  - a dire lack of research and planning. What seems to have happened is some nabob was convinced it was a "good idea" and then the scheme was implemented with no real forethought at all.

They have two options - learn from their mistakes or lose thew bikes.

 

And why couldn't they just use a company like well-known ad firm JCDecaux who do bike hire all over the world and have great success in cites like Brisbane? Probably minimal start-up and operating costs (due to later revenue from renters and advertising on the bikes) and an experienced partner who knows who to have users register etc.

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, wump said:

And why couldn't they just use a company like well-known ad firm JCDecaux who do bike hire all over the world and have great success in cites like Brisbane? Probably minimal start-up and operating costs (due to later revenue from renters and advertising on the bikes) and an experienced partner who knows who to have users register etc.

 

Perhaps because they're backed by Chinese money, using the Chinese model that's been rolled out all over China.

 

[wump]

Then why not have the Chinese company manage it 100% and only share the revenue with the BMA?

[impulse]

2 minutes ago, wump said:

Then why not have the Chinese company manage it 100% and only share the revenue with the BMA?

 

That's a good question, along with a lot more posited here.  It's a new business model, and early adopters are expected to dominate the market through sheer volume.  So a lot of money's being put at risk on bulking up in spite of the uncertainty.  It's fascinating if you're interested in that kind of thing, and not simply bashing the Chinese or the Thai's (not aimed at wump, BTW).

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-10-04/the-china-bike-rental-money-cycle

 

Dozens more good articles are out there.  It may be a flash in the pan, or valid only in the unique ecology that is China.  Or it may be a game changer, with cars to follow...  Or, maybe just looking to cash in on seed money then bail out.

 

[jerojero]

Why not just say.... thieves?

Dramatic effect.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[wump]

27 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

That's a good question, along with a lot more posited here.  It's a new business model, and early adopters are expected to dominate the market through sheer volume.  So a lot of money's being put at risk on bulking up in spite of the uncertainty.  It's fascinating if you're interested in that kind of thing, and not simply bashing the Chinese or the Thai's (not aimed at wump, BTW).

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2017-10-04/the-china-bike-rental-money-cycle

 

Dozens more good articles are out there.  It may be a flash in the pan, or valid only in the unique ecology that is China.  Or it may be a game changer, with cars to follow...  Or, maybe just looking to cash in on seed money then bail out.

 

Excellent article, especially this bit:

 

Quote

With only 7 million bikes but 100 million users, Mobike holds 4,200 yuan cash per bike. Ofo's numbers aren't anywhere near as favorable.

That's the equivalent of 21,200 THB per bike. This is like printing money, really. 

[car720]

15 hours ago, David Walden said:

How can you say such a thing about us Aussies.  Are you suggesting us Aussies have more then the normal share are of testosterone, that our desire to place women on a pedestal  is a bad thing.  I used to drive a school bus I don't remember anyone throwing a bike under the wheels...the wheel on the bus go round and round etc.etc.

Not really more than others and as to placing women on a pedestal I think that is the beginning of a catastrophe right there.  I just wish they could design a beta-blocker for testosterone and alcohol. 

[Xaos]

We just back from China Beijing and Shanghai, both cities got share bikes, funng gd said if this in Thailand they be stolen for sure, now we back and this news, I showed to her dhe was laughing. But hey its not that funny, shows you where we stand. Chinese do good use of them there. They use wechap app to pay and unlock it, bikes on every corner. Shame on you thais.

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